Automobile signal



Nov. 27, 1923; 1,475,811

H. L. FURR Auwomoann smmn Filed Aug. 22, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nuv. 271923.

- H. L. FURR AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Filed Aug. 21;. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Mion I advance l com 11 in wr setting the si nal device indicating thatthe vehicle is about to turn to right, or the left,

such device will. be restored to neutral position automatically when t evehicle steering mechanism is moved 0 change the direction of thevehicle.

Other important features of the invention, and certain details ofconstruction and combinations of parts will be better understood fromthe following description in connection with the accom anying drawings,and will be more particu arly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 represents, in side elevation, the invention applied to a motorvehicle, the latter being indicated by broken lines;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view in ele vation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3--3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the directionindicating device, and

Fig. 6 is a view at right angles to Fig. 5.

As shown in the drawings, the usual steerin post of the motor vehiclepasses through the platform A, the steering post being connected withthe usual instrumentalities for turning the front wheels to the right orto the left, according to the direction in which the vehicle is to besteered.

At a suitable point on the vehicle, as upon one of the rear wheelfenders 3 is a support ing post 4:, having at its up r end a sleeve 5,rovided with a longitudinal opening for guiding the stem or rod 7. Thisstem or rod carries the direction indicator 8 which is herein shown ashaving the shape of an arrow. The mechamsm hereinafter dewhich passes arod 18 nt 190 to a to turning s a Kigal l 152 lnteriorly, the indicatormay bep-rovided with an electric light globe having its wires connectedwith suitable contact devices 10. In the path of movement of the devices10 are suitable terminals 12, connected with wires 14, in protectingtubes 15 which may be mounted as shown on the fender 3. The wires 14'receive current from the motor vehicle battery, or other suitablesource, and

when the indicating device 8 is turned to the rifihnor to the left toshow the direction in w ich the vehicle is turned, the contact devices10 will engage the terminals 12, comleting a circuit and causing thelamp with- 1n the indicator 8 to glow. When the indicator is turned tovertical or neutral osition, the circuit will be broken and the amp willgo out.

To the underside of the platform A is secured a bracket 16, composed ofupper and lower parallel members and a right-angularly disposedconnecting member 16, the

parallel members of the bracket being provided with two registeringopenings through having at its upper end a handle 19 and at its lowerend a, right angularly turned portion 20. The rod 18 is arrangedparallel with and closely adjacent to the steering 0st, and the handle19 is preferably located immediately below the steering wheel 9.

The lower member of the bracket 16 is formed as a plate 21,-whose outerportion is curved as a semi-circle, and provided with terminal portions22, having down turned ends 23, forming stops.

The rod 18 is provided with a washer 24, which forms an abutment for oneend of a spiral spring 25 which surrounds that portion of the rod withinthe bracket 16. The lower end of the spring bears against the plate 21,thus confining said spring under some tension between the washer 24 andthe plate 21. The outer end portion of the rod 18 passes through a holein atriangular stop 26, which is confined against longitudinal movementon the rod by suitable continingdevices 27, such as cotter pins whichpass through the rod.

The spring 25 draws the end 20 of the rod 18 upwardly, and maintains apoint of the angular stop 26 in a recess 29, which is formed by bendinginwardly the two separated ends of the metal at the central portion ofthe forward edge of the plate 21.

Suitably connected to the bent portion 20 of the rod 18 is a wire 30,which is conducted through a tube 31 along the vehicle to a pointopposite a post 32, which extends up ward rigidly from the rod 7 whichsupports the indicator 8. With the'above construction and arrangement ofparts, when the handle 19 is turned about 90, as to the left, suchmovement will cause a pull upon the wire 30, which likewise will pullthe indicator deviceto the left, showing that the vehicle,

is about to turn in that direction. In this movement the stop 26 travelsfrom its seat 29, around the face of the plate 21 until one of thecorners of the stop will engage with a limiting device 23, and arrestthe movement of the wire 30. On the other hand, if the handle 19 isturned to the right, the wire will be moved in a reversed directionthrough the tube 31, and will move the indicator 8 to the right,pointing in the direction in which the vehicle is about to be turned.

Below the platform A a bracket 34 having two semi-circular clamp members34:. 34 is clamped by bolts 35 to the steering post. The bracket has acurved portion 36 and extending through aligned openings therein is apin 38, having a washer 39, and sur rounded by spiral spring &0, whichis confined between the bracket and the washer, and maintains the upperend of the pin 38 projected above the recurred portion of the bracket.The upwardly projecting end of the pin is located in close proximitywith the triangular stop device 26 when the parts are in neutralposition, as shown in Fig. 2. When the handle 19 of the signal operatingdevice is turned in either direction, the stop device 26 will be carriedout of the opening 29, and will slide along the face of the curved outerportion of the plate 21, turning in such movement until its flat sideslides along the face of the plate, such movement continuing until theleading point of the stop engages an arresting device 23. Immediatelyafter the signal is operated, the steering post of the vehicle will beturned, causing the vehicle to turn to the left, for example. By thesame movement, the pin 38 is carried around by the steering post in thesame direction in which the stop 26 moved, and when said pin encounterssaid stop, it will be pressed outwardly against the stress of the spring40, and will snap over the stop 26, the latter being held rigidlyagainst displacement at this time by the arresting device 23.

When the steering wheel is turned in a reverse direction, for thepurpose of causing the vehicle to travel straight ahead, such movementof the steering wheel will carry the pin 38 back to neutral, or centralposition, as shown in Fig. 2, and in such movement the pin will carrythe stop device 26 back to its original position. In this operation theprojecting pin 38 acts against one of the flat faces of the stop device,and as the pin meets with little resistance it easily restores saiddevice to neutral position, moving the wire 30 at the same time in adirection for likewise restoring the indicator 8 to neutral position, asshown in Fig. 5, thus showing that the car is traveling straight ahead.

It is to be understood that when the indicator 8 is moved in eitherdirection to indicate a turn to the left, or to the right, the

electrical circuit will be completed through the lamp in the indicator,whereby the position of the latter may be determined at sight.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent isz 1. In a device of the class described, thecombination of an indicator for indicating the direction in which avehicle will turn, a lever having connection with said device andarranged to effect said movements, a rotary stop device carried by saidlever, a track along which said device travels having limiting means forsaid stop device, a steering post, and a device carried by said steeringpost and arranged for movement freely past said stop device when thepost is turned in one direction, and to engage said device for restoringthe indicator to neutral position when said post is moved in the reversedirection.

2. In a device of the class described, having in combination, anindicator arranged to show the direction in which a vehicle is:

about to be turned, means for manually setting the indicator, comprisinga rod rota'tably carried in a bracket below the platform and having astop device which travels along a curved path, and connections betweensaid rod and said indicator, a spring pressed pin carried by thesteering post of the vehicle and arranged when said post is moved in onedirection to pass freely over stop device, and, when it is moved in theopposite direction to engage said deviceand restore it and saidindicator to neutral position. 4

3. In a device of the'class described, the combination of an indicatorfor indicating the direction of movement of a vehicle, manual means forsetting saidindicator comprising a rotatable rod having a handle thereonand located in proximity to the steering post, the end portion of saidrod being provlded with a freely rotatable triangrod and said indicator,a curved track over which said stop device travels, said track providedwith a central seat to hold said device in central position, a curvedtrack extending in opposite directions from said seat, said trackterminating in arrestin means, and aspring pressed pin carried-by t esteermg post and arran d for movement with sand post, and to yieldinglypass over said stop device when moved 1n one direction after the stopdevice has been set, and to engage said device and restore it to neutralpo- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set HARRY n runs.

sition when the steering post is turned for I! causing the vehicle tomove straight ahead. ular stop device, connections between said my handthis 21 day of August A. D. 1922.

